Against One
by The Resident Vampyr
Summary: A post 'Into the Woods' Spike & Buffy fiction. After a crippling break-up with Riley, Buffy must face her inner demons before the new year.


Title:   
Synopsis: After a crippling break-up with Riley, Buffy must face her inner demons before the new year. Read how she and the rest of Sunnydale fights Buffy's greatest enemy --- herself.  
Note: This short story is based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer post 'Into the Woods' episode.   
Date: Friday, 22 December, 2000 : 06:31:13 AM  
Written by: [The Resident Web Vampyr][1] © 2000.  
Credits: [See here][2].  
Characters in play: Buffy Xander Willow Riley Anya Dawn Tara Joyce Ben Spike Giles  
Key Summary:  
Ben summons a new demon that could put a stop to Glory's quest for _The Key_. Buffy's having a disturbing dream about Riley and Spike. She mainly blames herself for the break-up but cannot admit that she and Riley had it coming, which is why she subconsciously blames Spike instead. She basically stays away from her friends and focused on being a Slayer and a protector of Dawn as she searches a way to protect her sister. A startling revelation about Dawn and her connection with the Dagon Sphere. The story ends with Buffy and Spike coming to terms with their relationship and sharing an explosive New Year.  
  
  
  
p a r t o n e  
DAY ONE.  
OPENING SCENE 1: SUNNYDALE UNIVERSITY.  
Buffy in school opening her locker. She basically is cleaning up and getting ready for the new class after the new year. She already missed weeks time in school following the illness of her mother and now that everything's in order with her mom and no sign of the big bad that's after her sister Dawn, Buffy is ready to face her studies... except for one thing. She noticed the hanging picture of her and Riley in her locker door and she immediately remembered how she didn't get to Riley in time to give him a reason to stay or perhaps to make sure that what she is feeling for him is true, that he is 'the one' for her. She gave another look at the picture when...   
  
"Buffy...".  
  
Buffy wondered who called her. She closes her locker and Riley is standing right beside her.  
  
"Riley..."   
  
Her heart leaped with surprise and shock as she knows that this couldn't be true. She saw the helicopter leave and him in it.  
  
Buffy gasped. Buffy in bed. She was only dreaming.   
  
  
p a r t t w o  
DAY TWO.   
  
SCENE 2.   
Ben in his apartment. He's doing a summoning spell about a demon which feeds on anger. He's doing this to prevent her twin sister Glory for furthering her quest of "The Key" and rule the better half of the still sane Sunnydale.   
  
Ben couldn't stand it anymore. He tried to lead a normal life but Glory kept messing it up. Being the more stable of the two, he tried to make sense out of her. Even suggesting to use a spell on her so that she won't have those damn headaches anymore. But no, she has to get things her way. _I'm the older one, one the one who'll decide what's best,_ she often said in one of their arguments.  
  
He can't really blame Glory, she's the unlucky one who got this "evil twin syndrome". It's either she or him. The wrong side of the coin, as they say. The Mr. Hyde of Dr. Jeckyll. Well, in their case, Ben is the Dr. Jeckyll. And what an irony, Ben works as an intern at Sunnydale hospital. A town he believes will soon ran out of normal citizens if he doesn't do anything.  
  
His first attempt, the queller demon didn't work out the way he wanted it to be. Now this, the Wraith demon. His last chance.  
  
Ben opened the small vial where the Wraith demon reside as smoke until summoned. Candles circles him, all 13 of them, as he begins to chant.   
  
"Namah, venala vepar maymon, I summon." "Ashema-deva calls you."   
  
"Maborym, horvendile, naberius... into the dark I call you."   
  
"Kesh, vepar all--"  
  
Before he said his final chant, his pager beep. An emergency in the hospital, Ben suspects another victim of his sister.   
  
"Oh, shit!" was all he can say as he immediately grabbed the vial, placed it in his pocket, blew the candles out and left. Unknown to him, the Wraith demon fizzles amongst the candles.  
  
  
  
SCENE 3.   
Sunnydale University, Buffy walking in the hall. She remembers every detail of her dream of last. Her walking towards her locker. Her opening it and seeing Riley. Only this time it's not a dream. Buffy finally reached her locker, opened it, and saw the similar picture of her and Riley.  
  
"Hi, Buffy!"  
  
She gasped. It's Willow and Tara.   
  
"Guys..." Buffy said.  
  
"Buffy, how are you? We haven't seen you over the weekend? How's you mom?" asked Willow.   
  
"Mom is fine. I'm going to take her home today. I asked Giles if we can take his car."  
  
"That's great!" said Willow.  
  
"Uhm, Buffy, are you going to the New Year's party at the Stevenson hall tomorrow night? It's for those who aren't going home for the holidays... like us." Tara said happily.  
  
"... and Tara & I are gonna celebrate our first ..." Willow trailed as Buffy cuts her off.  
  
"Congratulations! You know what, I'm really busy this week, with my mom, school. Plus not to mention Dawn and patrolling and stuff. But I do want to be there." Buffy seemed to be avoiding any more topic about relationships.  
  
"Ok... we understand," said Willow somewhat disappointed.  
  
To Willow and Tara, "Uhm, I have really have to go, still have to drop by at Giles." Buffy turned to go. But before she left, she turns back.  
  
"Happy anniversary..." she hugged them and left hurriedly.  
  
On her way out the hall, Buffy bumped into a student who literally ran over her. The student is having an argument with friend about something. He seemed pretty mad, even bordering insanity. Buffy looked at this student with curiosity, he had the oddest color of eyes she'd ever seen. It looked like it changes color every second.  
  
"Hey," said the student. "What are you lookin' at?" He seemed totally freaked out. Buffy just stared at him, not wanting to deal with this. She has more important things to do.  
  
"Hey, I'm talking to you!" said the unruly student. By this time, his friends grabbed him by both hands and tried to pacify him. Buffy hurriedly left.   
  
  
  
SCENE 4.   
Sunnydale hospital. Buffy, Dawn and Giles arrived at the hospital 5 minutes late of the appointment for the release of Joyce but nevertheless readied their mom home.  
  
"Take care Joyce, don't hesistate to call if you feel anything," reminded her doctor.  
  
"Thank you doctor," said Joyce as they leave the hospital. Beside him was Dawn and Giles, who left the Magic shop to help them.   
  
  
  
SCENE 5.   
Ben is in the locker room placing the vial that he earlier used in his locker. He closed the door and went out. Buffy saw the the intern in the hallway. She approached him to thank him as well.  
  
"Hi, Ben." said Buffy.  
  
"Buffy. How are you? I heard that Joyce had a successful operation, how is she?" asked Ben.   
  
"Actually she's fine. We're taking her home today. I just wanna thank you for the help when she was first rushed in here," said Buffy.  
  
"No problem. It's part of the job," Ben replied.  
  
They said their goodbyes and good health. The Summers family leaves.   
  
  
  
SCENE 6. Another ambulance pulled in the emergency room. The person's body is shaking violently as he was rushed inside. It's the same student that Buffy had an encounter with at school, only this time his body is almost skeletal thin, with hair as white as silver and eyes as black as night.   
  
  
p a r t t h r e e  
SCENE 7.  
Spike in a torn-down factory talking to 2 vampires.   
  
"What are you doing here Spike?" said vampire #1.   
  
"Listen mate, I just wanna know who operates this blood sucking gig that you have you goin' here?"  
  
"What's it to you? Gonna bring along your Slayer friend to torch this place? Forget it Spike, this one stays. Besides, you already have your revenge on the soldier boy, what else do you want from us?" said vampire #2.   
  
Unknown to Spike, Buffy is right behind the dark alley. Observing.  
  
"Enough talk, either you tell me or ..." said Spike.  
  
"Or what? Gonna show the Slayer how good it is to be bitten? Just like what you did with the other human? You have a way of twisting the truth Spike. It's not gonna work with us!" said vampire #1.  
  
"What truth?" question Buffy, stepping out from the shadows.  
  
Spike turns around and saw Buffy standing there with grave looks waiting for an answer. The other vampires abandoned the place when they saw Buffy.  
  
"What truth?" she repeated.  
  
Spike still not answering. A moment or two later.   
  
"Ok, you got me. I only told you about your soldier's boy extra-curricular activities because I wanted to get back at him for putting this bloody chip in my head! Are you satisfied?" explained Spike insensitively.  
  
"You son of a b--"  
  
Morning in the Summers home. Buffy awakens.   
  
  
  
SCENE 8.   
Buffy rose up early after having that disturbing dream of Spike.   
  
"_Is it the real reason why he told me about Riley? Wait 'til I got my hands on him...I'm so gonna kill him..!_" thought Buffy.   
  
"_The sooner I get this out of my system the better. I have more important things to do..._" she kept telling herself.   
  
Her mind lingers on her dreams for awhile then convinced herself not to give too much thought on what happened about her and Riley... but Spike, now that's another question.   
  
She got it all planned for the day. She has to focus her energy into finding a way to protect Dawn from the new evil in town - Glory. And then she remembers the "Dagon Sphere".   
  
  
  
SCENE 9.   
The Magic Shop. Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara and Giles in tow. Xander knows about Riley leaving, well not the exact details but somehow he hoped for the better. She first told Anya, then Willow, now everybody knows; except for Giles, who for some reason looked distracted. He's been searching for old books at the back.   
  
As much as Buffy doesn't want to deal with Riley's departure with the rest of the Scooby's , she arrived at the shop nevertheless. The moment she stepped at the door, everybody looked her way...comforting, sort of smiling faces, happy to see her and yes, worried about her.   
  
"Hi Buffy!" said Xander.  
  
"Hey!" She immediately looked for Giles, "Giles here?".  
  
"At the back" Willow replied. "Uhm, Buffy... I know you don't wanna talk about it... but..."  
  
"You're right, I don't wanna talk about it..." said Buffy rather exasperated.   
  
"Look, I'm...I just ..." Buffy said tries to retract what she had said but didn't get to finish.   
  
"Buffy!" Giles called from the back.   
  
Buffy turned around, glad to hear a different tone. She went to where Giles is and find that he's reading from an ancient-looking manuscript.   
  
"Giles, remember the orb that I gave you? You said that it has some sort of power to protect?" Buffy asked.   
  
"Why yes, that's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about," Giles said as he showed her a drawing similar to the orb.   
  
"It says here not only does it have the power to protect and repel That Which Cannot Be Named --- which we know is Glory, but it also has the power to destroy by trapping it inside the Dagon Sphere. But first, one should open the gates that lead to it..." explained Giles.   
  
Giles looked up at Buffy. "How do we open the gate?" he pondered.   
  
"Dawn..." said Buffy.  
  
  
  
p a r t f o u r   
  
Buffy and Giles talking about the Dagon Sphere and how Dawn could be the link.   
  
"Giles, I came here because I want to borrow the Dagon Sphere for awhile because it's a protective device and at the moment Dawn needs protection. But after reading this, we now know for a fact that it belongs to Dawn... , or at least she has the answer in destroying Glory" said Buffy.  
  
"Clearly that makes sense, but don't you think you ought to tell her first about who or what she is? Besides, we're not sure how she can help since she doesn't know that she is the _key_," reminded Giles.   
  
"I know, she'll totally freak out. But we need to destroy Glory now! The sooner she's destroyed, the better I'll feel about..." she cuts-off her sentence.   
  
Giles noticed Buffy's agitation, he instead said "You know what, I'll read more about this, I mean we have to plan how to tell this to Dawn and rest of the gang because we need all the help we can get. But for now, we cannot tell about this whole thing or it might jeopardize everything. I suggest that you do what you have to do. Spend some time with your mom, or Riley for that matter."   
  
  
  
SCENE 11.  
Before leaving, Buffy asked Willow if she can have the de-invite spell for Spike.   
  
"Sure," said Willow "but we're talking about Spike right? the one with a chip in the head?"   
  
"The one and only," said Buffy with a stern look in her face.   
  
  
  
SCENE 12.  
Spike getting a punch in the nose from Buffy. Only to see that it's another vampire getting a beating for real. A right hand blow from Buffy made the vampire fly in the air. The vampire tried to fight back but Buffy kept giving him such painful blows that it even tried to run away, only to get kicked by Buffy in the head.   
  
  
  
SCENE 13.  
Somewhere in the vicinity, the Wraith demon searches for its new victim. It slowly caught attention from the fighting that's happening in the horizon.   
  
  
  
SCENE 14.  
The vampire got a couple of more severe beatings for the next minute or two until it cannot fight anymore. That's the only time Buffy put a stake into it. Unaware to her, she was standing outside Spike's crypt. The Wraith demon slowly changed its shape according to the what it sees.   
  
"You should've given it a chance to fight back," said Spike casually.   
  
"Spike!" said Buffy still holding the stake in right hand. "What the hell are you doing here?"   
  
"I know you don't wanna hear an explanation, but you happen to be in front of my abode," said Spike in a calm manner.   
  
Buffy looked sideways, it was indeed his crypt. "You think you can just get away with it, huh?"   
  
"No," said Spike knowing that she's talking about the incident that happened 4 days back, "...in fact I thought things over and you're right..."   
  
"...For once," he added sheepishly. "But and I already talked about it with your blood-giving boy and I think he handled it pretty well, I might add," he continued.   
  
"You just don't get it, do you? You think you can just walk into somebody's life and turn it upside down?" accused Buffy.   
  
Spike didn't answer, he's confused what Buffy is talking about.   
  
"You planned it all along didn't you? You twist things so that he will fall for it, I will fall for it! I have enough problems of my own Spike, I don't want another one!" threatened Buffy.   
  
"What now?" Spike stopped. "He told you about..." he chuckled. He can't believe Riley told Buffy about how he feels. "What does he want from me? It's not even his problem..!" he said, irritated.   
  
"It's my problem! It's..." Buffy realized what she's saying.   
  
"What is it Slayer? You and the boy still have a fight, are you? There's too much anger in your voice... You're not.." Spike got interrupted.   
  
"I'm warning you Spike, stay away from me and stay out of my life! Don't make me do things you'll regret..." warned Buffy as she left angrily.   
  
"... the girl I used to know, you've somehow... changed..." sensed Spike.   
  
The Wraith demon followed Buffy.   
  
  
p a r t f i v e  
  
SCENE 15.   
The Magic Shop. Anya making the final computations at the cash register on tonight's earnings. Giles preparing to close the store with Xander helping. Suddenly, Willow and Tara comes in.   
  
"Hey, you guys are back..!" said Anya.   
  
"How's the par-tay?" Xander jokingly said.   
  
"Yeah, the "par-tay" didn't last long, the organizer didn't showed up." said Willow.   
  
"He died," Tara added. "Actually, they said he was taken ill all of a sudden and was rushed to the hospital," she continued.   
  
"But the funny thing is, they said Jimbo went into a frenzy before collapsing. And that he looked so suddenly thin," Willow said thoughfully.   
  
"Anya-thin?" said Xander. Anya gave him an evil eye.   
  
"No, more like Ally McBeal thin," said Willow.   
  
"So we thought of checking it out here. Who knows this might be another one of those demons," said Tara. "Hey, more like this thin!" Tara grabbed the newspaper lying on the table.   
  
It read in the Sunnydale News headline : A NEW BREED OF PLAGUE HITS SUNNYDALE. It showed a picture of the hospital victim, the unrecognizable Jimbo.  
  
While all these was happening, Giles seemed to remember the manuscript he's been reading to Buffy this morning. He quickly got the manuscripts and showed them the sketch of the Wraith demon.   
  
Giles read the description, "The Wraith demon. A ethereal physical manisfestation of tortured souls from the planes of hell. These shades are driven by an intense hatred which can shape change according to their next victim. Contact with a wraith can quickly drain one's life force," The Scoobies looked at each other.   
  
"It feeds on anger?" asked Xander.   
  
"I wonder who'll be the next victim?" asked Anya.   
  
A pause, then Giles said "Buffy..."   
  
  
p a r t s i x  
  
SCENE 16.  
Summers' home. Joyce sleeping in her room. Dawn watching television in the family room. Buffy hiding the Dagon Sphere in Dawn's room and preparing for the de-invite spell. She looked for Dawn to remind her not to stay up late.   
  
"I'll just finish watching this then I'm off to bed," assured Dawn.   
  
"Ok, be good," said Buffy.   
  
"Are you doing spells tonight? What for?" inquired Dawn.   
  
"For keeping off vampires into our house..." said Buffy as she headed to her room.   
  
Dawn nodded, acknowledging that she caused one vampire to enter their house. _Oh boy, does she learned her lesson after that night_, Dawn thought.   
  
  
  
SCENE 17.  
Back to the Magic shop.  
  
"What should we do?" asked Willow.   
  
Giles grabbed a couple of weapons in Buffy's trunk, handed some of it to Xander. He got hold of his car keys and said "Willow, Tara, find something about a spell that could reverse this thing, and Xander you come with me."   
  
"Anya," Giles said.   
  
"I know, I'll stay and help with the spell," said Anya disappointed.   
  
"No, I was gonna say, come with us. You're a former demon, you might know how to stop this thing," said Giles.   
  
  
  
SCENE 18.   
Outside the Summers' home. The Wraith demon is by now in front of their house. It can sensed the disturbance in Buffy as it molded itself into her image.   
  
"Buffy..!" shouted Spike, rushing to talk to her.   
  
The Wraith demon didn't notice Spike, instead it proceeds to enter the front door without stopping. It disappeared and reappeared on the other side.   
  
"What the--" said Spike, shocked at what he saw.   
  
  
  
SCENE 19   
Buffy in her room with four candles placed to form a circle. She knelt inside it and started chanting a spell that would eventually keep Spike out of her house. She can't believe she actually let him in in the first place. And him, being there in her bedroom four nights ago? She shouldn't have followed him into that vamp nest. _How could she trust him?_ But she did. Now she's doing something about it.   
  
  
  
SCENE 20.  
The Wraith demon went straight up the stairs passing the family room where Dawn is watching television, and proceeded to Buffy's room.   
  
  
  
SCENE 21.  
Spike opened the door, which a vampire only knows how. And walked in. He bounced back hard hitting the front porch.   
  
"Bloody hell!" he grunted. Spike came to a conclusion. _She can't do this, not right now_, he thought.  
  
"Buffy!" he shouted again. By this time, Dawn approached the door, which is wide open, and finds Spike forcing his way in.   
  
"Who are you? And why is the door opened?" asked Dawn.   
  
"A friend. I want to talk to Buffy.." said Spike impatiently.   
  
She's still confused why the door is open. "Wait, I'll see if she's available," replied Dawn reluctantly while closing the door.   
  
Spike hold the door open. "There's no time for that...! Let me in..!" demanded Spike.   
  
"Sorry buster, but I don't know you. You might be a vampire for all I know."   
  
Spike gave him the look. "Look, Buffy knows me, even Joyce knows me."   
  
"Oh yeah? How come I don't?"   
  
"Because you're a --. Listen, something is wrong with Buffy and I need to talk to her."   
  
"Hey, I got into trouble by letting in strangers. I'm not gonna call her unless you tell me your name!" said Dawn.   
  
"Spike!" called Giles. He arrived with Anya & Xander. "What are you doing here?" he added.   
  
"Playing nanny to Buffy's kid sister, that's what!" said Spike sarcastically.   
  
"Well, we don't have time for that. Buffy's in danger," said Xander as Giles and Anya passed by.   
  
"Now you're telling me. Hey, what about me?" said Spike.   
  
Giles turned to Dawn, ignoring Spike. "Dawn, where's Buffy?"   
  
"She's in her room, doing some spell and stuff," she replied.   
  
"I hope we're not too late," said Giles, worried of what may become of Buffy. They rushed to Buffy's room leaving Dawn dealing with Spike.   
  
  
  
SCENE 22.   
Joyce was awaken by the noises downstairs and went out to the hall to see what's happening. Giles, Xander and Anya is already inside Buffy's room.   
  
"Buffy?" said Joyce. Buffy is now possessed with the Wraith demon and holds a very angry look in her face.  
  
  
p a r t s e v e n  
  
SCENE 23.   
Giles, Xander, Anya, Joyce upstairs in Buffy's room. Buffy already possesed by the Wraith demon. She just stands in there in a frozen state looking straight ahead while the Wraith demon drains her slowly.   
  
"What's happening?!!" shouted a worried Joyce.   
  
Giles take a hold of Joyce to prevent her for coming any closer. "We need to find out how to fight this thing."   
  
  
SCENE 24.  
Back to the Magic shop where Willow and Tara are finding spells that could stop the Wraith demon.  
  
"Here, look at this!" said Tara.  
  
Willow read "Wraiths often inhabit the darkest dungeons or prisons, having been drawn there by the imprint of pain and suffering, or summoned and bound by powerful mages..."  
  
"...it can pass through solid objects and energy-reliant mortals may not only be drained of health but also left defenseless unless..." Willow continued to the next page of the manuscript.  
  
"... Unless it is sheathed in a powerful energy shield, and so long as the victim or keeper of this shield can maintain concentration over this magical buffer..." Willow finished reading.  
  
"What does it mean?" asked Tara. They looked at each other.  
  
  
SCENE 25.  
Back to Buffy's room. She is still possessed with the demon.  
  
"Buffy needs to fight for herself... she needs to fight her inner demons to ward off the evil spirits that taken her hostage..." revealed Anya; finally realizing that's what she did to become human.   
  
"Buffy, it's Xander. I know what happened between you and Riley. Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."   
  
"She needs more than that. She needs to release her anger..." added Spike as he stepped from the background. "Buffy, I know you can hear me. It's not your fault..!" admitting that he had a role in her break-up with Riley. "If you're gonna blame someone... blame me..!"   
  
"Honey, baby, we love you sweetheart. Please don't this to yourself!" pleaded Joyce.   
  
Dawn who's frightened and very much affected by this whole thing quietly closed her eyes and said "We need you..." said Dawn. Suddenly the Dagon sphere in the adjoining room lit.   
  
Slowly, the demon that possessed Buffy vanished into thin air. Buffy looked around seeing similar faces, then collapsed. Her family catches as she lay across the room.   
  
  
  
SCENE 26.  
The Magic Shop. It's almost 11:45 p.m. New Year's Eve. Everyone is present. The family and friends are celebrating Joyce's successful operation among others. They are in full customes, handing out gifts and wine. Giles dressed up as a silly "Merlin" once again. Joyce in a 60's outfit. Xander in a serious priest custome, Anya as the flying nun. Dawn in the little Annie orphan dress, Willow and Tara in matching customes as well.   
  
Only Buffy was not in custome. She said, she didn't have time to think about it what she'll wear. Joyce is expressing how happy she was with a toast.   
  
"I'd like to give a toast for everybody who stayed and took care of me during my operation. I'd like to thank my two daughters for being there for me. I couldn't ask for more. I'm proud of you two." Joyce kisses both Dawn and Buffy.   
  
"Here. here..!" said everybody.   
  
Giles also lifted his glass and said "Here's to the Magic Shop, may it still bring in customers 'til the next year, thanks to all of you especially to Anya, who've been a big help."   
  
Everybody cheered. It's Willow's turn, "I'd like to make a toast for everybody, for accepting Tara into our lives and letting her be apart of our family, and Tara for letting us be a part of hers." Tara and Willow embraced.   
  
"And to Xander,...for admitting that he does not only likes me as a partner," Anya winked "but also admitting that he loves me for who I am." Anya and Xander kissed.  
  
Everybody applauded. Buffy looked down and reflected on what Anya just said.  
  
"Hey, everybody, it's almost 12:00!" shouted Tara. Everybody gathered around the table for the countdown except Buffy who slipped outside to watch the fireworks.   
  
  
  
SCENE 27.   
Alone on New Year's eve, she misses Riley. Of course she has her family and friends, but still, she misses him. It's the second time this has happened to her. Before, it was Angel, now...  
  
"Hey..." said Spike who's in front of the in the Magic Shop, hiding in the shadows, not smoking.  
  
Buffy turned around. Somehow the anger that she felt for him disappeared, for now... since she can't imagine not loathing him anytime soon.   
  
"Hey..." Buffy said softly. She didn't ask what he's doing there. Somehow she knew. As the countdown inside continues...   
"15 ... 14 ... 13..."   
  
"Look, if it makes any difference..." said Spike as he approached her.   
  
"No, Spike... I don't blame you.. anymore than I blame Riley, or me for that matter."  
"12... 11 ... 10..."  
  
Spike listened.  
"9... 8 ... 7 ..."   
  
Buffy turned away to look at the night sky. The stars shined brightly that night. Her thoughts wondered what could she have done differently. _Is she better off with him, did she really let go of what could be the love of her life, or is this just one of those meaningless relationships that can be easily forgotten?_, she asked herself.  
  
"I got a feeling... me and Riley...we... we were not strong enough..." trailed Buffy.  
"6... 5 ... 4 ..."   
  
Buffy didn't finish her sentence but Spike knew what she meant.  
"3... 2 ... 1 ..."  
  
  
  
SCENE 28.  
"Happy New Year..!!!" shouted everybody inside the shop. Tara and Willow embraced, Xander and Anya kissed, Giles and Joyce hugged with Dawn.   
  
  
  
SCENE 29.  
Back outside the Magic Shop, Buffy and Spike watched the fireworks explode.   
  
Spike looked at Buffy. A beat. "Happy New Year Slayer..."   
  
Buffy looked at Spike. A beat. "Happy New Year Spike..."  
  
A long pause then, Spike and Buffy resumed staring at the fireworks.   
  

e n d  
  
Next on the series, " [**Stronger than Desire**][3]." The second of the series from The Vampyr Pentateuch.   
Also by The Resident Web Vampyr : Against One, Stronger than Desire, Glorious, Sweetness Follows, No More, An Ode to Spike and Buffy, Countercheck,Blood Lies, Crushed, I was made to love you too.  


   [1]: mailto:vampireloveslayer@yahoo.com
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/vampireloveslayer/sb_credits.html
   [3]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=157816



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